As a car owner, you’ll have to dispose of used oil at one point or another in a way that doesn’t harm the environment. To dispose of old oil, you need to find a recycling center to help you with the process without sending it to a landfill or a waste facility.
So, you may wonder if AutoZone accepts used oil. If you’d like to find out, keep reading to see what I discovered!
Does AutoZone Take Used Oil In [currentyear]?
AutoZone takes used motor oil and oil filters in [currentyear]. Therefore, instead of disposing of it in the garbage, you can collect the old oil in a container and take it to AutoZone. This protects the environment, as AutoZone will recycle the oil for other purposes. Additionally, you can drop off the oil at different AutoZone stores for free.
To learn more about AutoZone and whether they take used oil, keep on reading for more useful facts and tips!
Can You Return Used Oil to AutoZone?
Fortunately, AutoZone takes used oil from car owners through its recycling program. In 2019, the company recycled about 11 gallons of used oil and more than 220,000 tons of old car batteries.
You can take the used motor oil to the nearest AutoZone store, depending on your location. However, you need to first check with your state laws, as some states have created laws that prohibit auto parts stores from accepting old oil.
When taking your used motor oil to AutoZone, ensure that you pack it in proper containers and that it’s not mixed with other fluids.
AutoZone has more than 6,000 stores, so it should be easier to find one in your area that accepts oil as part of the recycling program. However, you should call first to confirm that AutoZone can recycle your oil.
Furthermore, you can take used oil to AutoZone, even if you didn’t buy it from any of the stores.
Will AutoZone Charge You To Take Used Oil?
AutoZone’s oil recycling service is free, and the company won’t charge you anything once you deliver your old motor oil at any of the company’s stores.
Therefore, if you have retrieved oil from your vehicle, you can find the nearest AutoZone and deliver it.
However, keep in mind the limits of how much oil you can recycle per day when taking it to AutoZone. In addition, ensure that the oil is not contaminated, otherwise, you might be turned away.
On some occasions, customers can get redeemable vouchers at AutoZone when they deliver the used oil to any of the store locations.
Therefore, you should inquire if the particular store has any of these deals when dropping off your oil.
How Much Oil Will AutoZone Take at a Time?
State and federal governments set laws limiting auto parts companies from accepting old oil and the quantity.
For instance, certain state laws set the limit at 5 gallons per day; therefore, you should abide by these regulations when taking the used oil to AutoZone.
On top of the oil, you can also take your oil filters for recycling, and you can confirm with the specific AutoZone store beforehand to know the recycle limit.
What Does AutoZone Do With Used Oil?
Instead of dumping the oil in a landfill or the ground, AutoZone collects this used oil in its large containers and recycles it into usable fuel for other products.
According to AutoZone, two and a half quarts of clean motor oil needs about 42 gallons of crude oil to produce.
However, this pure oil can be repurposed using a gallon of already used oil with recycling.
Therefore, AutoZone can use this oil or supply it to another oil processing plant that needs it to re-manufacture fuel for other uses. As part of the recycling program, AutoZone repurposes the oil in the following ways:
1. Industrial Fuel
This old oil is repurposed as industrial fuel to be used in AutoZone delivery trucks, which saves costs on using clean oil.
2. Selling
Once all the used oil has been collected at AutoZone centers, it’s transported to a processing facility and filtered. In addition, it gets separated into different grades of quality, tested for contamination, and sold.
Furthermore, this oil is also processed into asphalt for roads and parking lot construction and a fuel source for power plants. This is why it’s essential to deliver oil that’s free of any contamination for it to be used for other purposes.
For the oil that doesn’t meet its refining standards, AutoZone sells this to manufacturers that deal in pet food and livestock feed.
3. Motor Oil
AutoZone recycles the used oil into fluid products and motor oils such as gear lubes, hydraulic fluids, anti-freeze, and transmission fluids to reduce dependency on petroleum-based products.
Additionally, motor oil can also be re-used as brake fluid or grease, and AutoZone finds ways to use the oil in a way that benefits the business.
To learn more, you can also see our posts on whether or not AutoZone installs batteries, if AutoZone does oil changes, and if AutoZone makes keys.
Conclusion
AutoZone accepts used oil and oil filters for recycling. As a car owner, instead of disposing of the used oil on the ground, you can collect it in a container and take it to AutoZone.
Collecting this oil protects the environment, as AutoZone will recycle the oil for other purposes. Furthermore, you can drop off the oil at different AutoZone stores for free. However, you need to confirm whether they accept it based on the state laws.
